@article {8576, title = {Differences in the Progression of Disability: A U.S.-Mexico Comparison.}, journal = {J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci}, volume = {73}, year = {2018}, month = {2018 06 14}, pages = {913-922}, abstract = {

Objectives: This article seeks to document the progression of disability in a developing country by implementing a model to examine how this process compares to a developed country.

Methods: Data come from the Mexican Health and Aging Study (MHAS), including a baseline survey in 2001 and a follow-up in 2003, and from the U.S. Health and Retirement Study (HRS), using the 2000 and 2002 waves. An ordinal logistic regression approach is used to examine a progression of disability that considers (a) no disability, (b) mobility problems, (c) mobility plus limitations with instrumental activities of daily living, (d) mobility plus limitations with activities of daily living (ADLs), (e) limitations in all three areas and (f) death.

Results: In both data sets, approximately 44\% of the sample remained in the same level of disability at the 2-year follow-up. However, the progression of limitations with two disabilities differs by gender in the MHAS but is consistent for both men and women in the HRS.

Discussion: Our model reflects the importance of ADLs in the disablement process in Mexico. We speculate that the difference in lifetime risk profiles and cultural context might be responsible for the divergence in the progression of disability by gender.

}, keywords = {Activities of Daily Living, Age Factors, Aged, Disabled Persons, disease progression, Female, Humans, Male, Mexico, MHAS}, issn = {1758-5368}, doi = {10.1093/geronb/gbw082}, url = {https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27436102}, author = {D{\'\i}az-Venegas, Carlos and Timothy A Reistetter and Rebeca Wong} } @article {8481, title = {Racial and ethnic differences in cognitive function among older adults in the USA.}, journal = {International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry}, volume = {31}, year = {2016}, pages = {1004-1012}, abstract = {

OBJECTIVE: Examine differences in cognition between Hispanic, non-Hispanic black (NHB), and non-Hispanic white (NHW) older adults in the United States.

DATA/METHODS: The final sample includes 18 982 participants aged 51 or older who received a modified version of the Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status during the 2010 Health and Retirement Study follow-up. Ordinary least squares will be used to examine differences in overall cognition according to race/ethnicity.

RESULTS: Hispanics and NHB had lower cognition than NHW for all age groups (51-59, 60-69, 70-79, 80+). Hispanics had higher cognition than NHB for all age groups but these differences were all within one point. The lower cognition among NHB compared to NHW remained significant after controlling for age, gender, and education, whereas the differences in cognition between Hispanics and NHW were no longer significant after controlling for these covariates. Cognitive scores increased with greater educational attainment for all race/ethnic groups, but Hispanics exhibited the least benefit.

DISCUSSION: Our results highlight the role of education in race/ethnic differences in cognitive function during old age. Education seems beneficial for cognition in old age for all race/ethnic groups, but Hispanics appear to receive a lower benefit compared to other race/ethnic groups. Further research is needed on the racial and ethnic differences in the pathways of the benefits of educational attainment for late-life cognitive function. Copyright {\textcopyright} 2016 John Wiley \& Sons, Ltd.

}, keywords = {African Americans, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Cognition, Ethnic Groups, European Continental Ancestry Group, Female, Hispanic Americans, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, United States}, issn = {1099-1166}, doi = {10.1002/gps.4410}, author = {D{\'\i}az-Venegas, Carlos and Brian Downer and Kenneth M. Langa and Rebeca Wong} }